HYDROCARBON DISPERSAL IN THE GULF OF NAPLES: A PARAMETRIC STUDY

Surface current measurements provided by a HF radar system allowed to identify typical patterns of the circulation of the Gulf of Naples (Tyrrhenian Sea), and to associate them with the prevailing forcing conditions. Circulation data were then used as input for a model simulating the transport of particles released in ocean basins (GNOME General NOAA Oil Modeling Environment). The results of this study highlight peculiar characteristics of the surface dynamics and transport processes in the Gulf of Naples, allowing an estimate of the residence times and the identification of potential particle aggregation and retention areas.